Inverse Kinematics Solution of 6-DOF Manipulator Based on Multi-Objective Full-Parameter Optimization PSO Algorithm.

A multi-objective full-parameter optimization particle swarm optimization (MOFOPSO) algorithm is proposed in this paper to overcome the drawbacks of poor accuracy, low efficiency, and instability of the existing algorithms in the inverse kinematics(IK) solution of the manipulator. In designing the multi-objective function, the proposed algorithm considers the factors such as position, posture, and joint. To improve PSO, the proposed algorithm comprehensively analyzes all factors affecting the global and local searching abilities. Based on this, the initial population is designed following the localized uniform distribution method. Meanwhile, the inertia weight, asynchronous learning factor, and time factor are respectively designed by introducing the iteration factor. Finally, this paper tests the performance of MOFOPSO with three typical functions to obtain a better inverse kinematics solution of the 6-DOF manipulator. Also, six other algorithms are taken for performance comparison. The experimental results indicate that the proposed method not only ensures the stability of the manipulator but also achieves high accuracy and efficiency in solving the inverse kinematics of the 6-DOF manipulator.

COVID-19 Diagnosis via DenseNet and Optimization of Transfer Learning Setting.

COVID-19 is an ongoing pandemic disease. To make more accurate diagnosis on COVID-19 than existing approaches, this paper proposed a novel method combining DenseNet and optimization of transfer learning setting (OTLS) strategy. Preprocessing was used to enhance, crop, and resize the collected chest CT images. Data augmentation method was used to increase the size of training set. A composite learning factor (CLF) was employed which assigned different learning factor to three types of layers: frozen layers, middle layers, and new layers. Meanwhile, the OTLS strategy was proposed. Finally, precomputation method was utilized to reduce RAM storage and accelerate the algorithm. We observed that optimization setting "201-IV" can achieve the best performance by proposed OTLS strategy. The sensitivity, specificity, precision, and accuracy of our proposed method were 96.35 ± 1.07, 96.25 ± 1.16, 96.29 ± 1.11, and 96.30 ± 0.56, respectively. The proposed DenseNet-OTLS method achieved better performances than state-of-the-art approaches in diagnosing COVID-19.

Campimetrías necesarias para obtener factores confables en un campo visual para diagnóstico de glaucoma en el Hospital San Francisco de Quito durante el período agosto 2012 - abril 2013 / Necessary campimetries to obtain trustworthy factors in a visual field for the diagnosis of glaucoma in the San Francisco de Quito hospital during the August 2012 ­ April 2013 period

Introducción: el objetivo de este estudio fue identificar el número de campimetrías necesarias para obtener factores confiables en el diagnóstico de glaucoma. Materiales y métodos se realizó un estudio observacional retrospectivo en el Hospital San Francisco de Quito en 58 pacientes, incluyendo 116 pares de ojos, que se realizaron perimetrías blanco sobre blanco por dos o más ocasiones para diagnóstico de glaucoma, iniciando con estrategia CLIP con el perímetro Oculus Centerfeld II, en el período agosto 2012 a abril 2013. Resultados: de 116 campimetrías evaluadas, el mayor número de campimetrías confiables para diagnóstico de glaucoma se obtuvo al realizar por segunda (41,4%) y tercera (29,3%) vez este examen entre los 42-88 años, con una media de 65 años. No hubo diferencias significativas entre la edad y el número de campimetrías confiables. Conclusiones: los factores extrínsecos e intrínsecos (como el aprendizaje) del paciente juegan un rol importante al realizar y valorar la confiabilidad del campo visual para diagnóstico de glaucoma.

Introduction: the objective of this study was to identify the approximate number of campimetries necessary to obtain reliable factors for the diagnosis of glaucoma. Materials and methods: we performed a retrospective observational study at the San Francisco de Quito Hospital with 58 patients including 116 pairs of eyes, which white ­white perimetry was performed in two or more occasions for glaucoma, starting with CLIP strategy with the perimeter Oculus Centerfeld II, from august 2012 to april 2013. Results: of the 116 campimetries performed for diagnosis of glaucoma, the largest number of reliable campimetries was obtained by performing a second (41, 4%) and third (29, 3%) exam between the ages of 42 - 88 years, with an average age of 65 years. There were no signifcant differences between age and the number of reliable campimetries. Conclusions: extrinsic and intrinsic factors (such as the learning factor) of the patient play an important role when making and assessing the reliability of the visual feld of the diagnosis of glaucoma.

An outcome-based evaluation of nursing competency of baccalaureate senior nursing students in Taiwan.

Limited literature is available for demographic and learning factors related to performance of baccalaureate nursing students. The study aimed at examining mean differences in nursing competency between the first week and the sixth week of a nursing clinical practicum as well as evaluating mean differences in nursing competency by demographic and learning factors at the sixth week of a nursing clinical practicum controlling for baseline scores of nursing competency. A comparative study design was conducted using the competency inventory for baccalaureate senior nursing students based on learning outcomes. Participants were surveyed at the first week and the sixth week of a nursing practicum with 95% mean response rate. Paired t test was used to compare within-subjects differences in mean nursing competency. ANCOVA and Kruskal-Wallis test, and Mann-Whitney U test were conducted to compare between-subjects differences in mean nursing competency. There are significant mean differences in nursing competency in general clinical skills, lifelong learning, clinical biomedical science, caring, and critical thinking and reasoning between the 1st week and the 6th week of nursing practicum. Likewise, type of nursing program, prior schooling, type of nursing license, interest in nursing, and extracurricular activity experience were significantly related to mean total nursing competency. Similarly, demographic attributes (location of school, type of nursing program, prior schooling, type of nursing license, a family member working as a medical practitioner or a nurse, interest in nursing, attributes of preferred workplace after college) and learning factors (extracurricular activity experience, played an active role in classroom discussions and asked questions, academic class rank, and English grade, clinical biomedical science, nursing science, and nursing practicum) were significantly related to six-subscale scores of nursing competency. There are mean differences in nursing competency across several demographic and learning factors. These factors should be given greater emphasis by nurse educators in planning the academic and clinical phases of professional education.